Wike rejects emergency rule, demands Fubara’s removal

DDM News

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed displeasure with the federal government’s decision to impose emergency rule in Rivers State.

According to Diaspora digital media (DDM) corespondents, Wike stated that he had preferred the outright removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara instead of the temporary measures introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

The former Rivers State governor made this statement during a media briefing in Abuja on Friday.

He addressed the political unrest in his home state alongside other national developments during the session.

Wike made it clear that emergency rule was not the outcome he had hoped for.

He emphasized that he wanted Governor Fubara completely removed from office due to the deepening political rift.

According to him, the situation in Rivers had become unmanageable, making the governor’s position impossible to sustain.

He acknowledged that while the emergency rule may bring temporary relief, it was not a lasting solution.

Wike noted that the matter is already in court and would be decided through legal processes.

He added that as a politician, his duty is not to protect his opponents but to compete for power.

He stated, “The governor was gone. It is not in my place to make it good for the governor.”

He added, “As a politician, my business is not to make him comfortable and that is why there is power play.”

Wike argued that the president acted in the interest of the state by preventing a descent into anarchy.

He stated clearly that the president’s intervention was necessary given the growing unrest and security threats.

Background of the crisis

The political conflict in Rivers State began shortly after the 2023 general elections.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who succeeded Wike, soon found himself at odds with his predecessor.

Their relationship deteriorated over disagreements involving political appointments and control of state affairs.

In late 2023, lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly launched an impeachment move against Fubara.

The attempted impeachment triggered violent clashes and division among legislators.

Fubara’s loyalists resisted the move, causing chaos and a breakdown in the functioning of the Assembly.

The dispute escalated into a full-blown governance crisis that drew national attention.

Multiple reconciliation attempts failed as both sides remained adamant.

Security agencies reportedly warned of an imminent collapse of law and order if the situation continued.

In response, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.

As part of the emergency measures, he suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all state lawmakers for six months.

To oversee governance during this period, Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.

The president’s decision has sparked intense debate across the country.

While some support the emergency rule as a stabilizing move, others view it as a threat to democratic principles.

Wike’s recent comments have reignited controversy over the motives behind the federal intervention.

His admission that he sought Fubara’s removal appears to confirm the presence of a political power struggle behind the crisis.

Political observers are closely watching how the legal proceedings will unfold and whether normalcy will return to the troubled state in the coming months.

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